Three suspects
have been charged with gang-raping a lesbian in the San
Francisco Bay area in December.
Humberto
Hernandez Salvador, 31, and Josue Gonzales, 21, were charged
Tuesday with kidnapping, carjacking, and raping the woman
December 13 in Richmond, Calif., just north of San
Francisco. Hate-crime charges were added for Salvador
because, authorities say, the woman was taunted for
being a lesbian during the attack. Her name has not been
disclosed. This could result in a more severe sentence
for him if he is convicted, although life in prison is
the maximum sentence for both men. Neither entered a
plea when appearing in court Tuesday, the San Francisco
Chronicle reports.
Darrell Hodges,
16, was arraigned Monday on similar charges. He will be
tried as an adult, while a 15-year-old boy whose name
has not been released was taken into police custody
last week on suspicion of being involved in the
attack. If charged, he will be tried as a minor.
The woman was
attacked on December 13 after she stepped out of her car,
which had a rainbow bumper sticker, according to the
Associated Press. One of the men reportedly approached
the 28-year-old woman as she crossed the street, hit
her with a blunt object, forced her to remove her
clothing, and then, along with three others, raped her for
45 minutes.
When the men saw
another person approaching, they forced her into her car
and took her to a burned-out building, where she was raped
again. They left her naked on the street, taking her
car and her wallet. She sought help from a nearby
resident, who took her to be examined at a hospital.
Her car was found abandoned two days later. (Michelle
Garcia, Advocate.com)